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World Religions 
By Gerrit van Dyk, Secretary

ACTIVITY REPORT 2017–2018
Oct 2017  ATLAntis Discussion Post: Halloween and religious/

cultural appropriation

Nov 2017  ATLAntis Discussion Post: Using interfaith examples in 
instruction/orientation sessions

Dec 2017  ATLAntis Discussion Post: Making your library inviting 
to all backgrounds during holiday season

Jan 2018  ATLAntis Discussion Post: Representation of world 
religions in religious studies collections

Apr 2018 Held Spring Meeting

 ATLAntis Discussion Post: Podcasts

May 2018 Drafted revisions of WRIG documentation  

	 ATLAntis	Discussion	Post:	Reflections	on	RIOTcon

Jun 2018 Held Business Meeting at annual ATLA conference

  Sponsored ATLA conference session: Interfaith at the 
Hearth: Focolare and Beyond

  Sponsored ATLA conference session: Changing 
Seminaries, Changing Libraries, Changing Selves

Leadership

 • Chair: Drew Baker

 • Chair-Elect: TBA

 • Past Chair: Megan Welsh

 • Secretary: Gerrit van Dyk

Steering Committee Members

 • Nic Weiss

 • Stephen Sweeney 



Interest Group Meetings  29

 • Karla Grafton

 • Ellen Frost

 • Chris Benda

Meeting Details
SPRING MEETING
Mon, Apr 16, via Go to Meeting

Reviewed upcoming meetings and sponsored programs at ATLA in 
June

Assessed monthly ATLAntis discussion posts

Introduced podcast initiative, including goals, potential partnerships, 
scope, and production schedule

Introduced WRIG documentation clean-up initiative

Business Meeting Minutes
Fri, Jun 15, Studio 6, ATLA Conference

Reviewed major annual accomplishments

Introduced ATLA HQ contact, Roger Morales

Discussed WRIG documentation, including pending new website 
redesign

Introduced new steering committee members and called for 
volunteers to serve

Discussed podcast initiative

Brainstormed advertising and engagement ideas, including swag and 
partnerships with DEI

Brainstormed ideas for next year’s conference, including a panel: “So 
you’re institution/library is becoming more ecumenical”

Summary of Activities (hosted programs)
ATLA CONFERENCE SESSION: INTERFAITH AT THE HEARTH:  
FOCOLARE AND BEYOND
Presenter: Michael Saahir

Engage with Michael Saahir, Imam of the Nur-Allah Islamic Center,  
a founding member of the Center for Interfaith Cooperation, and 
active participant in Focolare, an international movement focused on 



30  ANNUAL YEARBOOK

unity and universal brotherhood. Michael will discuss the interfaith 
efforts in which he is involved in Indianapolis and beyond.

ATLA CONFERENCE SESSION: CHANGING SEMINARIES, CHANGING 
LIBRARIES, CHANGING SELVES
Presenters: Patrick Milas, Megan E. Welsh

Religious identities and practices are changing. Religious studies  
and theological educators are adapting curricula and services to 
support increasingly diverse student populations. On an institutional 
level, some religious studies departments and seminaries’ priorities 
are changing, too. For example, Princeton Theological Seminary 
(PTS) remains one of ten seminaries of the Presbyterian Church 
(USA). Yet currently, only 28% of students identify as PCUSA and over 
fifty	Christian	traditions	are	represented,	reflecting	a	trend	toward	
ecumenism. ATS-accredited institutions have faculty and students 
whose faiths are outside of Judeo-Christian traditions, principal 
traditions that comprise the ATLA membership. Additionally, 
there is increased representation from secular institutions such as 
University	of	Colorado	Boulder	and	organizations	not	affiliated	with	
specific	denominations	within	ATLA	membership.	

It’s time for librarians to share with each other their perceptions of 
their institutions’ relationships with students, administrations, and 
denominations,	as	well	as	where	they	fit	within	ATLA	personally.	
Conversation questions may include:

 • What is your understanding of why ATLA was founded?

 •  What is the relationship between personal religious belief and the 
affiliation	with	our	institutions?	With	our	students?

 •  What are the relationships between members’ personal religious 
identities and ATLA denominational groups? 

 •  How can our personal identities strengthen the community in 
which we work?


	Preface
	committee reports
	Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
	Conference Committee
	Endowment Committee
	Professional Development Committee

	Task Forcereports
	International Theological Librarian Education
	Scholarly Communication

	Interest Group Reports
	Public Services
	Special Collections 
	Technical Services 
	World Religions 

	denominational Group reports
	Anabaptist Mennonite
	Anglican/Episcopal
	Baptist
	Campbell-Stone
	Lutheran 
	Methodist
	Orthodox
	Presbyterian and Reformed Librarians
	Roman Catholic

	memorials
	Officers of ATLA (1947–2018)
	ATLA Organizational Directory (2017–2018)
	ATLA Member Directory (2017–2018)
	historical Annual conferences
	AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF AMERICAN THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
	2017 ATS Library Statistics

